INSTITUTE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AZERBAIJAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

I WILL KILL THE WAR

BAKU - 2014 I will kill the war

Author of the idea and supervisor CLOSE TO …REPENTANCE Prof. Rovshan MUSTAFAYEV Doctor of Political Sciences - I just wanted to tell you, my dear kid, though sometimes you think as a grown-up, much older

Scientific editor of new edition than me, about something that looks like "our con- Aytan MUSTAFAYEVA science" (there is such a phrase). No, this is not the Director of the Institute on Human Rights repentance yet; I mean not quite repentance, but of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), something close to it. PhD in Law, member of Parliament You know, my generation, formed in conditions of severe communist illusions, had a special feel- Translator ing for the good. And to preserve it, we kind of Nigar ALIKHANOVA borrowed the universal irony from the works of the great J.D. Salinger - a symbol of my generation. Ironic attitude to life has become a kind of our credo, a way of self-defense, and even the idea of self-preservation. That, of course, was "weather- It is bad; it is really bad of course that you failed to bring your won- cock" attitude because of despair or simply a mask, derful children's laughter to life. But you did bring something more well, you understand what I mean, my kid. And important - a sense of real responsibility for the fate of the children to come. That's why future kids will never get lost in the rye of our life; now, turning to you, I cannot help recalling the they won't burn and won't fall in the cliff. You, my child, will not let it Salinger hero, teenager Holden Caulfield, although happen. As the ripe rye are not a cemetery, but bread, joy, prosperity for many reasons you are very different. And I am and celebration. And when that happens, all the people will welcome the long-awaited killing - the killing of the "bearded war". recalling not his stupid actions but one very impor- tant thought: "Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye ISBN 978-9952-8176-6-9

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and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's and would make us feel murderous reality. I am around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I'm saying this on purpose because I remember, kid, standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I your scary story word for word: "When bearded have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start Armenians rushed down from the mountains to to go over the cliff -I mean if they're running and the village, the adults told the kids: "Run and they don't look where they're going I have to come hide in the rye field, they won't find you there". out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd We, the children, ran towards the huge ripe field. do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. At first we were all screaming and crying, but I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really then fell silent so that the bearded could not like to be…". notice us. At some point, we got completely lost I am citing you this passage from the in the rye; everyone was pulling his/her own Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye" only way. But when we heard the gunfire behind us, because we did not pay much attention to it in we realized that we should run forward without due time. Everything was different with other turning back. The sun soon became very hot, we ironic and cool "tricks" from the novel that set- were thirsty, especially the little ones. I said that tled in our minds a lot better, but very this pas- if we could pick the crispy grass - chayir, we sage constantly flew out of memory. It was not could rub it in our hands to lubricate the lips perceived seriously… I certainly think that the with wet fingers. So everyone did it - thus, we problem was not with Salinger, but with us, we had something "to drink". By the time the gunfire could not guess his lesson coded in time - I don't ceased, we were very tired. We sat down. We all know. But the main thing is different: none of were scratched. And if it were not for the "beard- my generation could even imagine then that ed" war, it could seem that we were playing and some ten summer school holidays later just this just ran away too far. The spikes were ripe, and little passage would show us all our inconsis- the time to mow came the day before. Suddenly tence, while life would raw irony from my peers, we heard a strange sound, like a hiss. The sound

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came nearer; I stood up and saw that the field dren dying in the rye. And while we were busy we were hiding in was burning. The wind drove with our psychoanalysis, the souls of the children the flames directly to us. I shouted, and I called dying in the boiling rye, as on paper, reflected the the big for help. Everybody shouted, too. And cruel pictures of blood and death. again, none of the big came to the rescue. Later You know, we've gathered some in this book. on, in the hospital, I learned that the bearded Probably the day will come and all children's art Armenians had seen us in the rye and set it on of the vile war period will be published. The fire". "bearded Armenians", of course, have punished us We are those "big", of course, my kid, not your for a virtual approach to life. But they failed to do parents, who were tortured by bandits in the the main thing - to kill that new sense of reality defenseless village. "None of the big came to the that came into our lives with your generation, my rescue" - of course, it is, my kid, about those who kid. Even without reading Salinger you learned a in their younger years borrowed from Salinger testamentary lesson of the writer and experienced only the saving mask, the irony, failing to learn the it in your own life. That's why, I'm sure, the future main precept of the writer: "That's all I'd do all childhood is out of danger - there is someone like day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all". But you to protect it. It is bad; it is really bad of course no one at that time could foresee the collapse of the that you failed to bring your wonderful children's Union and those "bearded Armenians" killing chil- laughter to life. But you did bring something more dren. Well, we never divided people by their important - a sense of real responsibility for the nationality. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were fate of the children to come. That's why future kids the only "bearded" in our minds along with some will never get lost in the rye of our life; they won't promising commencing artists… burn and won't fall in the cliff. You, my child, will Perhaps the thing is not only in Salinger, but not let it happen. As the ripe rye are not a cemetery, mainly in us, who failed to grasp the main lesson but bread, joy, prosperity and celebration. And of the writer and did not come to rescue the chil- when that happens, all the people will welcome the

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long-awaited killing - the killing of the "bearded war". We failed to do it, my kid… It's a shame and I'm sorry for that. Everything I've told you is not repentance yet. ...AND CONVENTION But something close to it, like "my and your con- ON THE RIGHTS science". OF THE CHILD

Rovshan MUSTAFAYEV ...States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life...

...United Nations Organization in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights pro- claims that childhood is entitled to special care and assistance...

...Convention on the rights of the child pro- claims that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind, such as race, language or religion...

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YAVER ALIYEV, 7 YEARS OLD: "The light in our house went out, but I could not fall asleep. When the shooting started, we went downstairs to the neighbor's basement, after a while we ran into the woods. Armenian militants noticed us and next to the Finnish houses we came Article 2, p.1. States Parties shall respect and under fire and everybody lay on the ground. ensure the rights set forth in the present The soldiers ordered us to stand up and line up Convention to each child within their jurisdiction in a row. They divided the wounded and without discrimination of any kind, irrespective unwounded into two parts. Then we were taken of the child's or his or her parent's or legal to Khankendy. The Turk Ahmed-dai was guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion, beheaded there. First they forced him to raise political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other his hands, tied him up, then beheaded him and status. started to play football with his head. Aunt Khanum's daughter - Natavan, she was 2, was shot with a machine gun".

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ORUDJEVA KHATIRA, 8 YEARS OLD: "We were sleeping when some noise and thunder awakened us. I got out of bed and saw that the neighbors' house was on fire. We - mother, father, my broth- er and sisters - ran into the tunnel. My aunt Sevil Article 37. States Parties shall ensure that: was also with us, as well as the neighbors with (1) No child shall be subjected to torture or their two children. Uncle Shaig said that we should other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or flee into the forest. At first, both my father and punishment... mother were next to me. My little sister Heyale (2) No child shall be deprived of his or her was in mother's arms, and the other one - in the liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily... hands of father. We hid again at the Nakhchivanik (3) Every child deprived of liberty shall be village. At dawn, they first shot my mom. Then treated with humanity and respect for the inher- they killed aunt Seville. When they shot at me, my ent dignity of the human person, and in a man- mom was next to me, she was all in blood and we ner which takes into account the needs of per- could not run. We lost father in the forest. I did sons of his or her age... not feel any pain, I just do not remember anything, (4) Every child deprived of his or her liber- as I was kind a little bit killed. Then I felt some- ty shall have the right to prompt access to legal one carrying me but I could not see who it was". and other appropriate assistance...

Khatira has gunshot wounds in her shoulder and chest; her lung was hurt, with hemorrhage in the pleural cavity, her ribs were broken with bul- lets.

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ABDULLAYEVA KHAYALA, 18 MONTHS. Her 24 year-old mother says: Article 4. States Parties shall undertake all "That day I stayed in my father's house. appropriate legislative, administrative, and other Everyone was asleep when the shooting start- measures for the implementation of the rights ed. We saw that everything around was burn- recognized in the present Convention... ing. All the people were running, and we also Article 6, p.1. States Parties recognize that ran. Father, mother, grandmother, sisters, my every child has the inherent right to life. two daughters, and nephew, my brother's son. We were hiding in the forest for two days. On p.2. States Parties shall ensure to the maxi- the third day we were surrounded. mum extent possible the survival and develop- ment of the child. Grandmother, Gasanova Geychek, died of a heart attack. Father took off his jacket to Article 8, p.1. States Parties undertake to cover her. We started running, we were shot. respect the right of the child to preserve his or Leaving the dead and wounded laying on the her identity, including nationality, name and fam- ground, we did not stop running. When we ily relations as recognized by law without unlaw- ful interference. reached the foot of the mountain, my sister Lyatafet Abdullayeva, she was seventeen, said . she could no longer run and sat down on the ground. I was terribly angry at her. Father

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took Lyatafet on his hands and sat down with Article 9, p.1. States Parties shall ensure that her to the ground. She died. Father covered a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will... her with his shirt. We ran. Suddenly father stopped and cried: "Oh Allah, have mercy for Article 11, p.1. States Parties shall take mea- my children", and fell dead. I had nothing to sures to combat the illicit transfer and non- cover him. We were left alone, three sisters, return of children abroad. Tazagul, aged 23, Khadija, aged 20, and me Article 12, p.1. States Parties shall assure to with two daughters and nephew. They began to the child who is capable of forming his or her shoot us, and shot a 4-year old Vusala. own views the right to express those views Armenians came up to us, took our earrings freely in all matters affecting the child, the and rings. They took us to Piridjamal, then to views of the child being given due weight in Khankendy. There were many girls, the beard- accordance with the age and maturity of the child; ed and soldiers humiliated them. Then they p.2. For this purpose, the child shall in par- brought us to Askeran. My daughter Vusala ticular be provided the opportunity to be heard had a terrible wound in her leg that started to in any judicial and administrative proceedings decay and she kept on fainting all the time. affecting the child, either directly, or through a Then the front-line soldiers managed to representative or an appropriate body, in a exchange us". manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law.

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KHUMAR SALIMOVA, 17 YEARS OLD: "On the night of 25 February 1992 they started to shoot heavily in Khojaly. The tanks entered the city. My brothers said that the town was full of Armenians and that we Article 14, p.1. States Parties shall respect the should flee. When we were running, the shell right of the child to freedom of thought, con- killed some woman running next to me and I science and religion.

was wounded in my shoulder and face. At Article 16, p.1. No child shall be subjected to the bottom of the ravine I saw our neighbors arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or and Elman Mammadov. Crossing the stream her privacy, family... we crawled toward the ditch to hide from Article 19, p.1. States Parties shall take all shells and bullets. When it started dawning, appropriate legislative, administrative, social we saw the Armenians near the ditch. and educational measures to protect the child Guliyev Talekh was shot in his mouth, in from all forms of physical or mental violence, front of his wife they started to break his injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, head. When his wife Rakhilya Guliyeva cried maltreatment or exploitation... she was shot, too. The year-old Samir crawled on his dead mother crying, I mean he was crying loudly, very loudly. Then one

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Armenian smashed his head with the butt of Article 20, p.1. A child temporarily or perma- the gun, the stroke was very strong. Some nently deprived of his or her family environment, or in whose own best interests cannot be allowed Armenian grabbed me and dragged me some- to remain in that environment, shall be entitled to where. When he was beating me trying to special protection and assistance provided by the make me move more quickly we were step- State. ping over dead bodies lying on the ground. Article 27, p.1. States Parties recognize the Someone started shooting near us and hit me right of every child to a standard of living ade- in the arm; I fell down and started to bleed. quate for the child's physical, mental, spiritual, The Armenian ran to the direction they were moral and social development.

shooting, and I tried to get to the dead on Article 38, p.1. States Parties undertake to my hands and feet. I did not feel any pain respect and to ensure respect for rules of interna- and pretended to be also dead. When it tional humanitarian law applicable to them in became dark I crawled back to the wood armed conflicts which are relevant to the child; p.4. In accordance with their obligations under then I crawled a little more, then more and international humanitarian law to protect the civil- more. When I finally heard the Azerbaijani ian population in armed conflicts, States Parties speech I shouted "mother". I do not remem- shall take all feasible measures to ensure protec- ber anything else; when I woke up I was in tion and care of children who are affected by an armed conflict. hospital".

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TURBANDIYEV ELMAN: "On 14 December 1991 I got to my village Jamilli by helicopter. When the helicopter landed, the Armenians opened fire and struck the fuel tank, the pilots began to raise the helicopter up when we saw two boys - Turbandiyev Arzuman Zulfi Article 39. States Parties shall take all appro- aged 12 and Djavadov Rafik Amil aged 10. priate measures to promote physical and psy- chological recovery and social reintegration of a They clung to the bottom of the helicopter, child victim of: any form of neglect, exploita- next to the door. The helicopter was lifting tion, or abuse; torture or any other form of them, and we managed to drag them into. cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or pun- They said the Armenians were already in the ishment; or armed conflicts... village. The boys saw them shooting a kid and another villager".

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HUSSEYNOVA GULNAZ: "On 23 July 1993 the shelling of our village Shelli in the Agdam region started. I was hiding in the pit with my three children all night long. The children were crying from fear. In the morning the tanks and armored troop carri- ers began to surround our village. I took up the two-year old Elmira and ran. My other kids, Nuraddin aged 7 and Esmira aged 9, ran after me".

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AGHAYAROVA SADAGAT HUSSEYN QIZI, MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN, BECAME CHILD- LESS OVERNIGHT: "WE SPENT FIVE DAYS IN THE WOODS. TWO CHILDREN WERE SHOT. THEY DIED OF WOUNDS. ROMAN GOT FROZEN".

AGHAYAROV NABI, 10 YEARS OLD

AGHAYAROVA SEVINDJ, 7 YEARS OLD

AGHAYAROV ROMAN, 6 YEARS OLD

AYSHA ALLAHVERDIYEVA, 1 YEAR OLD. DIED ON 23 DECEMBER 1991 OF FROSTBITE WHEN HER PARENTS WERE TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM MESHALY VILLAGE IN KHODJALY REGION.

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SADIKHOV ELSHAN, 15 YEARS OLD. On 27 November 1991 he came under fire from the Armenian village Khanatsakh while playing in the yard of his house in the Djamilly village. The boy was killed...

GULIYEV ELSEVEN, 11 YEARS OLD. He was shot in the right arm on 25 February 1992 while trying to escape from Khojaly.

ABDULLAYEVA VUSALYA, 4 YEARS OLD. Amputated leg after a gunshot wound.

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MEMORY REFLECTED IN RECOLLECTIONS AND DRAWINGS

Pupils of secondary rural school for refugee children in Lachin region named after Afghan Mammadov

Aliyev Uzeyir - pupil of III class

Gumbatov Subkhan - pupil of IV class

Gasanova Vafa - pupil of VII class

Aghayeva Gunay - pupil of VII class

Abdullayev Ughur - pupil of V class

Mekhti-zade Parviz - pupil of IV class

Suleymanova Nigar - pupil of III class

Baghirova Jeykhune - pupil of III class

Imanov Iman - pupil of VI class

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Aslanova Aynagul - pupil of IV class INFORMATION Guliyev Azer - pupil of III class ON THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AFFECTED Ibraghimova Ryagsana - pupil of V class BY ARMENIAN OCCUPATION OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS Aslanova Rasmiya - pupil of V class Gubadly region Sharifov Yadigyar - pupil of III class Total 12271 Orphans 435 Mustafayeva Nargiz - pupil of VII class Khojaly region Husseynova Seyara - pupil of III class Total 2771 Orphans 576 Djafarova Makhira - pupil of VI class Shusha region Mammedly Nasib - pupil of VI class Total 8424 Orphans 552 Khudaverdiyeva Aysel - pupil of VI class Jabrayil region Total 22850 Orphans 218

Kelbajar region Total 24279 Orphans 734

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Fizuly region Total 36361 Orphans 155

Lachin region Total 24705 Orphans 1200

Khodzhavend region Total 3604

Agdam region Total 63200 Orphans 987

Zangelan region Total 12800 Orphans 395

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